The University of Maine Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
project is a joint effort of
Fogler
Library and the
Graduate
School. Our goals are "to improve graduate education, increase
sharing of knowledge, help universities build their information
infrastructure, and extend the value of digital libraries," in
keeping with those of the Networked
Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, a national initiative
of which the University of Maine is a member.

There is not yet a single point of access for
identification of all University of Maine theses and dissertations.
There are several resources that may be used, depending on one's needs:

ETD database

URSUS (University of Maine System
online catalog)

Honors College web site

Digital
Dissertations database from UMI ProQuest

ETD database

The ETD database includes bibliographic
records for over 2,000 University
of Maine masters theses and doctoral dissertations from 1970 to present. Works may be retrieved
by author, title, keyword, or department.

For a very small percentage of theses and
dissertations, the ETD database also provides abstracts and full text. Works that may be viewed in their
entirety are indicated by a link to the full text from the abstract.
Full text works are those that have been submitted in electronic format
by students or those that have been retrospectively scanned as the
library receives requests for copies. Starting in 2001, Fogler Library
began systematically scanning the full text of all theses and
dissertations received for inclusion in the ETD database. In some cases
full text access may be restricted due to pending third-party
publication or patent applications. The library plans to
retrospectively scan requested works at some time in the future, with
the exception of the doctoral dissertations that are already available
from UMI Proquest Online Dissertation Services (see below).

Electronic submission of theses and
dissertations is required by the Department of Computer Science and the
Department of Spatial and Information Science; it is not required by
other departments and colleges at the University of Maine.

URSUS

In general, URSUS
and the ETD database will contain the same bibliographic records for
theses and dissertations. However, there may be a slight time lag in
updating one or the other, depending upon the format in which the
original document was received. Fogler Library is in the process of
cataloging all theses prior to 1987 in URSUS. Works may be retrieved by author,
title, keyword, subject, and department/college. To identify works by
department/college, enter the name and degree year as a TITLE search,
e.g. "Education 1993."

Digital Dissertations database

University of Maine doctoral dissertations (but NOT masters theses) may also be identified by searching
Digital
Dissertations, a commercial database from UMI that
covers works from the United States and Europe.

Print copies of most University of
Maine honors theses, masters theses, and doctoral dissertations are located in the Special Collections
Department of Fogler Library.Theses
and dissertations can be viewed in the Department. Some theses and
dissertations may be viewed online in full-text PDF format in the ETD
database. Current University of Maine cardholders may view UM doctoral
dissertations in PDF from 1997 to present in the
Digital
Dissertations database.

Interlibrary Loan

Print copies of University of Maine doctoral
dissertations held at Fogler Library are not loaned through Interlibrary Loan. They must be
purchased from UMI, unless they are available full-text in the ETD
database. See information about how to order by phone or
online at UMI's Online
Dissertation Services.

Print copies of University of Maine masters
theses may be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan, for in-library use
at the borrowing library.

Purchase

Doctoral dissertations may be
purchased from UMI in print, microform, and digital formats, unless
they are available full-text in the ETD database. See information about how to order by phone or
online at UMI's Online
Dissertation Services.

Masters and honors theses may be purchased from the Special
Collections Department at the cost of 15 cents per page plus shipping/handling. Payment is expected in advance, with checks
made out to University of Maine. For more information, or to submit a
request, contact: